Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will reaffirm Australia’s commitment to a negotiated peace deal for two-state solution during a visit to Israel, which will include a rare meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Mr Turnbull will arrive in Jerusalem on the weekend for a four day visit, with commemorations to mark the 100th anniversary of the battle of Beersheba, in what is now southern Israel, the centrepiece of the trip.
The PM will depart just hours after the High Court hands down its ruling in the “citizenship seven” case on Friday afternoon. If Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce’s election last year is found to have been ineligible to serve in Parliament, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop as the third most senior figure in the government will become acting Prime Minister.
In a bipartisan show of recognition for Beersheba’s significance, Mr Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will attend the event, along with a number of MPs.